1.) Lay out some plans and notes.

Whip out your planner, calendar, journal, or whatever you use, and take a look at the month to mark any birthdays, appointments, plans, etc. Schedule any appointments you need to make, too. If I didn’t do this at the beginning of each month, I would forget about so many plans I made! Also, if there are any special occasions coming up where you need to spend extra money, add it to your budget. This will help keep you super organized and productive for the month!

2.) Set up / evaluate your budget.

My husband and I sit down at the beginning of every month to reevaluate our budget. It’s a great time to take a look at your finances, see how the previous month went, and tweak anything if you need to. Remember that the key to successful finances is budgeting. No matter how well you might think you’re doing financially, a quick review of your monthly finances at the beginning of the month won’t hurt!

3.) Set yourself a few realistic goals.

It’s no secret that I love setting goals! In fact, every month I share my monthly goals here on the blog – and I write them downin my bullet journal. The beginning of the month is the perfect time to set goals and to reflect on how the previous month went. Ask yourself questions like: How did you do with your goals last month? Are you on track to get where you want to be? Are there any things you need to change to do better this month?

4.) Deep-clean & declutter your home.

I do most of my cleaning tasks on a weekly basis, but at the beginning of each month, I do a good deep-cleaning of my home. Clean everything that needs to be cleaned – your stove, your car, your windows. Also, be sure to get rid of clutter and unwanted or unused items. Back in February, I read The Life-Changing Method of Tidying Up and I embraced a more simple lifestyle. So as I clean, I take around a bag or box to fill up with anything that I want to get rid of. This definitely helps keep the clutter permanently at bay!

5.) Pick out a book (or a few) for the month.

I’m a huge bookworm, so I always pick out at least two books to read at the beginning of each month – sometimes I read up to four though! I like to make sure it’s a healthy mix of self-help and fiction. If it’s fiction, it’s usually cozy mysteries, chick-lit, or suspense! I’m open-minded about nearly anything when it comes to books, though. If you’re not much of a reader, then make time for something else to improve yourself or your knowledge – like sign up for a class or a free online course, start a 30-day challenge, pick out a documentary series on Netflix, etc.

6.) Clean out your coffee pot.

I’m pretty addicted to coffee. I drink coffee sometimes. 😉 So once a month, I like to clean out my coffee pot. I feel like this is a task that gets overlooked by a lot of people, but it seriously makes your coffee taste better. I just pour a half-and-half mixture of water and vinegar into the pot and let it run 1 cycle, then run another cycle or two of water to rinse it out.

7.) Clean out your purse.

If you’re anything like me, your purse turns into an abyss of random items and junk if you go too long without cleaning it out. I feel like once a month is good because that’s when it really needs it. Plus, I like to switch which purse I’m using sometimes too. So at the beginning of the month, I make it a point to go through it and throw away any receipts, put my loose change in my Hello Kitty piggy bank, and just generally clean it out and re-organize it.

I don’t really have things I do at 1st of the month. But I have on my calendar every quarter to change house filters and toothbrush. Also every 6 months I have a pool filter to clean. I love putting my reminders on the calendar. But I think I am going to add the decluttering idea and become more of a minimalist. Thanks for the ideas.

Thank you for reminding me to clean out my purse. I vowed to not let it turn into a diaper bag. And guess what’s inside it right now? Diaper, wipes, crumbs and a whole bunch of receipts. I appreciate this post, Tami. Love your blog and just signed up for the newsletter 😉

Thanks for the review. At the beginning of the month I check for birthdays, write out the cards and address them. Where the stamp goes I put the mailing date. Which is later covered by the stamp. Then place the cards for the month in a promenent place to be mailed. This way loved ones get their greetings on time.

I have a 4×6 recipe card holder that has monthly tabs. Behind each month I have an index card with things i need to do each month. Many of the things we do repeat every year so this system works well for me. Each month I take out the index card and paper clip it to my meal planner so it is always visible to me. As for birthdays, I always try to stay a month ahead so March’s birthday cards/gifts will be purchased in February. My recipe card holder also has alphabetized dividers where I can keep misc. information. I keep financial goals, my garden plans, books I want to read, etc. in these dividers.